Centrifugal pump to provide jet propulsion



H. DAVIS CENTRFUGAL PUMP TO PROVIDE JET PROPULSION Filed Feb. 9, 1966 FIG-.2

BYaMLl/J'M HUNT DAVIS a .asx w .l i @MV Oct. 24, 1967 United States Patent O 3,348,514 CENTRIFUGAL PUMP T() PROVIDE JET PROPULSION Hunt Davis, Williamsville, N.Y., assgnor to Worthington Corporation, Harrison, NJ., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 9, 1966, Ser. No. 526,106 1 Claim. (Cl. 114-665) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A device for propelling water-borne craft by means of the water jet discharged from centrifugal pumping apparatus mounted in the craft. The centrifugal pumping apparatus includes means to deflect the centrifugal pump discharge jet from a generally tangential direction to a generally axial direction, reducing tangential velocity while increasing the axial velocity and thereby increasing the effectiveness of the propulsion device.

This invention relates generally to hydrofoil, annular jet pro-pulsion pumps and specifically to pumps of this character having as an integral part of the pumps structure, blades and jet passages, to divert and direct the jet ow without any angular deviation.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hydrofoil annular jet propulsion pump of drastically reduced weight by the elimination of pump discharge ducting and jet nozzles.

It is another object of the invention to direct and divert the jet by the use of blades and jet passages which are formed integrally as part of the turbomachine.

It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a means to divert and direct a propelling jet so that the jet flow shall be free from any angular momentum.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a plurality of partitions or diffuser vanes, or blades, and passages therebetween that decelerate the tangential velocity component of the jet flow to zero, and that accelerate the meridional component to a predetermined preferred exit velocity.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a jet flow that may be adapted for use with many other kinds of pumps beside annular jet propulsion pumps.

These objects and advantages, as well as other objects and advantages may be attained by the hydrofoil annular jet propulsion pump shown by way of illustration in the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of a water vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational View thereof, with a portion of the hull exploded away;

FIGURE 5 is a Vertical sectional view of a hydrofoil jet propulsion pump; and

FIGURE 6 is a discharge jet outlet of the pump.

It is known that vanes to direct a spiralling stream leaving a jet pump may be used for propulsion. It is not desirable to have an angular component in the discharge jet flow. Diffuser passages can be arranged to avoid angular divergence of the stream, but rather to accomplish or provide deection of flow into axial direction, resulting in greatly increased efficiency of the hydrofoil annular jet propulsion pump.

More specifically, it has been found that efficient hydrojet propulsion without pump discharge ducting or jet nozzles can be attained by the subject turbomachine in which blades and passages that are in integral part of the turbomachine are utilized, and are so designed as to substan- 3,348,514 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 ice tially eliminate angular momentum of the pump discharge jet. This is accomplished by positioning stationary vanes to deect the impeller discharge jet flow from a generally tangential direction, to an axial direction, reducing tangential velocity to zero, while increasing the axial velocity reciprocally to the desired exit velocity.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is a housing 11 for a single stage centrifugal pump. A drive shaft 12 enters the housing 11. An impeller 13 is mounted at the end of the shaft 12. The impeller 13 communicates with the suctiton inlet 14. The impeller 13 contains a plurality of radially disposed outlets 15 directing the pumpage in a generally tangential direction with respect to the line defining the peripheral end of the outlet 15 in the impeller 13. The pump discharge jet outlets 15, discharge into a plurality of passages 16 constituting discharge jet passages 16 extending arcuately in a generally axial direction. The passages 16 are defined by stationary diffuser vanes 17 which smoothly redirect the tangential ow and reduce the velocity of the pumpage to zero in that direction, while increasing the axial velocity to the desired or required jet exit velocity. These vanes define partitions between the various flow sectors or jet passages 16. The pumpage may be picked up by a hydrofoil strut 19 having a suction opening 20 in its leading edge, and conducted through the suction passage 21 into the pump. A gas turbine 22 drives the power turbine 23, which in turn drives the pump 24. The pump 24 discharges through the discharge jet openings 25. The discharge jet outlets 15 are directed so that the discharge therefrom will be substantially tangential to the line defined by the outer edge of the impeller 13. Immediately adjacent to the outer edge 15 of the impeller 13, the passages 16 are defined in the housing of the pump 24. These arcuate passages deiine a duct having a smooth curve whose intake side extends generally tangentially to the jet discharge at the outlet 15 and then extend arcuately and progressively in smooth gradation toward their outer end to detine a jet passage extending in a generally axial direction at the discharge jet openings 25. The passages 16 are formed integrally in the housing 11. It is to be understood that other types of pumps may be used with equal effect, besides those shown by way of illustration in the drawings.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perform a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention; these substitutes are contemplated as being within the scope of the -appended claims, although they are not specically catalogued herein.

What is claimed is:

In a water-borne craft having a hydrofoil connected to the craft by a strut, an annular jet propulsion pumping means comprising:

(a) a pump housing having -a suction inlet therein;

(b) a suction opening in the leading edge of the hydrofoil strut;

(c) a suction passage communicating between the suction opening in the hydrofoil strut and the suction inlet of the pump;

(d) a turbo-pump impeller in the pump housing disposed with its axis generally horizontal;

(e) a flow discharge passage in the impeller directed in a generally tangential, vertical course;

(f) integral, arcuate, diffuser vanes in the housing dening jet discharge passages disposed to receive at one end thereof the tangential flow from said flow discharge passage of the impeller and at the other end thereof to discharge said flow in a generally axial References Cited direction; and UNIT D TATE PA I (g) said dituser vanes extending in smooth gradual E S S TENTS rection at the point of axial discharge of the ow y from Said dimmer Valles. ANDREW H. FARRELL, Primary Exammer. 

